blog

Scotland the Brave

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:42:15 +0100

I don't think I've ever before spent a winter weekend in Scotland and had two perfect days.

Brocken Spectre

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 13:24:38 +0100

After seeing my Brocken Spectre for the first time about 10 years ago, I worked out the conditions needed and how to make it appear.

1 You need a cloud inversion and the sun to shine
2 Position yourself so your shadow falls onto the cloud
3 Wave your arms to see your rainbow halo - or brocken spectre

However, I haven't yet worked out why you only see your own spectre. There were 5 of us working our spectres, but we only saw our own.

Taken on summit of Pen y Fan, Brecon Beacons, Wales

Howgill Adventure with Bremex

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 16:40:22 +0100

It’s a given, that when the time for the Bremex October High Camp comes round, the weather throws a curveball. Even so, 9 of us hardy souls braved the elements to test our navigation skills and our mettle.

With gale force winds and lashing rain forecast for Friday evening, we all planned to set up camp and batten down the hatches before dark descended – unfortunately the traffic on the M6 had other ideas, so Matt, Kent and Craig arrived at 10pm – just 10 minutes after the rain had started to hammer down. Thankfully, they declined our offers to help pitch their tent in the pouring rain. Everyone else had a very early night after watching the cars on the M6 heading down from Shap and spotting the fell ponies on the hills around us.

Camping above Tebay watching the cars on M6

We awoke on Saturday morning to a somewhat brighter day than expected – and Chris’ tent surrounded by a herd of curious cows. We’d obviously nicked their favourite sheltered spot.

Setting off in 2 groups, we took turns to lead navigation legs, using OS and Harveys maps with different scales, until we reached our planned overnight camp at Blakethwaite Bottom in time for lunch. Taking advantage of the dry (but still very windy) weather, we continued on our mountain journey with The Calf as our objective, 5 kilometres and several undulations away. The geography of the Howgills became more apparent as we followed the highest ground between deeply incised valleys, with absolutely no shelter from the wind. As the Met Office weather app predicted heavy rain at 5pm, we headed back to camp, this time picking a route over Fell Head, contouring above Black Force and getting back 10 minutes before the rain hit.

We retreated to our respective tents to cook dinner and relax ready for the planned night navigation exercise at 7pm. Just as we were gearing-up, the weather struck again, so with a short delay the exercise got underway – minus one or two people who may (?) have fallen asleep.

Sunday saw everyone up at the crack of dawn (7:15am), breakfasted and packed up ready to set off at 8:30 with Simon’s Seat as our first objective. There were no gentle gradients out of our camp. Various route options were discussed and a ridge line to the south of Docker Knott met with universal approval, so we set off up Di’s ridge.

Heading up from Blakethwaite Bottom

Once on the fell tops the strength of the wind knocked us off our feet - thank goodness we’d opted for broad grassy hills with no precipitous edges, although the convex slopes meant accurate compass work was essential. We continued to practice our navigations skills all the way back to the cars, crossing streams, bogs and new fences not shown on the maps – luckily there were gates in useful places.

We finished with a debrief at J38 services which got a big thumbs up from everyone, although Anne-Marie struggled to finish her omelette and chips.

A big thank you to Rich and Matt for organising such a testing but enjoyable weekend.

Getting away from it all on Corsica

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 16:10:46 +0100

Reminiscing about my last visit to Corsica 13 years ago, when Martin and I planned a week-long holiday using charter flights to conquer the northern part of the GR20 - 5 days of walking and one day to get the coach back to Calvi. The mountains were fantastic, but it was that drive back along the coast which captured my imagination, looking down on isolated villages nestled in tiny coves and the bright red rock of the Scandola peninsula contrasting with dark green foliage and azure blue sea.

Leading with HF holidays earlier this month gave me the opportunity to head down to the remote harbour of Girolata, on the west coast just north of Porto, on my day off. Claude-Marie our local guide was taking some paying guests and invited me along.

On the drive south from Calvi nothing much had changed in the intervening years, except the quality of the road which had a major upgrade in 2013 in time for the Tour de France to visit Corsica for the very first time. Buses still had to stop and wait for the cows to meander across the road to a hopefully juicier bit of grass and the smell of the maquis was as intoxicating as ever.

We picked up the track from just south of the Bocca di Palmetta, although the road builders hadn't bothered to reinstate anything remotely like a path, so with slithered and slipped down the rubble embankment until we reached the delightful ridge path which offered us stunning views down to the coast and back up to the mountains, with never another person seen until we joined the Mare e Monte path for the final descent to Girolata.

Most visitors approach Girolata by boat with only a hardy few reaching on foot. There is no road, not even a jeep track, and the few quadbikes to be found in the village are used to transport shopping up to the houses from the harbour. At the back of the beach were some charming cafes and restaurants, and strolling up and down the beach, catching the breeze were yet more Corsican cows!

After a delicious lunch, Claude-Marie walked back to the car while we relaxed and swam in the bay. At 4pm we took the little ferry across the cove to the landing jetty - where Claude-Marie was waiting to take us back to Calvi.